Electrical connecter



June 1.0, 1930.

R. H. wHlsLl-:R l 1,762,848 Y ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed sept. 1s, 1926 l T22 ven for.'

vnot exclusively, to devices Patented June-10,' 1930 UNnjl-:D STATES PATE-NT ol-FICE 'RALPH H. WHISLER, 0F HALFWAY, MICHIGAN,' ASSIGNOR TO HUDSON MOTOR CAR COMPANY, DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN ELECTRICAL v coNNEc'rEn Application mea september 1s, 192e. semi ne. 135,010.

This invention relates especially, although for electrically connecting the terminal wires of the ignition system to the Aspark plugs of an internal 5 combustion engine, and has for its general l1o ment without injury drawings.

objects to provide a simple and inexpensive device which can be readily applied and by the use of which the wires can be readily connected and disconnected by a simple move'- Yto the wires or to'the insulation, the device being particularly useful in'connection 'with engines of the type in which the spark plugs are conveniently' accesp substantlally cylindrical body or Awire-engag-l sible only from the top.

The foregoing and other more particular together with means whereby the'latter may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of certain forms or embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying It will be understood, however, that the particular constructions described and shown havebeen chosen for purposes of exemplication merely, and that the inven-l wire.' f

. Fig.4,is asimilar defined by the claim hereunto appended, may beotherwise embodied without departure from the spirit and scope thereof.

-Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a spark plug and a terminal wire connected thereto by nre'ans of. a connecter embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is asimilar view, partly in section, showing certain ,of the parts separated.

Figi'. V3t isi a`..detail perspective view of the wire terminal prior to its application to the tion, as

view showing a modification.

Fig. 5 is an elevation and Fig. 6 an enlarged sectional view illustrating the operation of the; terminal shown in Fig. 4.V

Fig. 7 is an elevation illustrating a furthermodification, the partsbeing shown disconnected.

In Fig. 1 isshown aspark plug A to which al terminal wire B is connected by means of an electrical connecter embodying the invention. Said connecter comprises a terminal 15 carried by. the sparkplugA and a terminal I16 secured to the end of the wire'B.

As shown in Fig. 2, the terminal 15 comprises a sleeve threaded to the usual terminal post 17 ofthe spark plug A, said sleevehaving a smooth, substantially cylindrical exterior'but being preferably slightly tapered `at its extreme r ee end, as shown at 18, and

being also preferably slightly enlarged immediately adjacent its tapered end, as shown at 19. s

The wire terminal 16 is preferably comosed of resilient sheet metal bent to form a is applied to the wire by presslng the prong- 22 through the insulation and into engageffv ment with the metal of the wire proper, l free ends of the portion 2O being thereafter bent down upon the surface of the insulation to complete the substantially cylindrical form of said portion. The spring arms 21 are colllectively disposed coaxial with the cylindrical portion 20, belng preferably so arranged Tas to form an interrupted but nearly complete annulus of a diameter normally slightly less than that of the cylindrical terminal 15 and adapted to embrace the latter. Said arms fare spaced or separated from the. body portlon and extend-circumferentially in opposite 4directions respectively from a reduced unitary neck portion 23wl1ich, in' turn, extends longitudinally from the body portion 20.

It Awill be seen readily engaged with or disengaged from the terminal 15, to connect and disconnect the parts, by a relative axial movement of the terminals, thereby avoiding twisting of the wire and permitting ready engagement and disengagement of the parts even though the spark plug is accessible only from the top.

lThe connection of the parts is facilitated by the tapered end 18 of the terminal 15, while their accidental disconnection-is resisted by the enlarged portion 19.

In the orm of the invention shown in Figs.v

that the arms 21 may be 4, 5 and 6, the free ends of the arms 21a of the terminal 1 6a are normally spaced apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of the terminal 15, thereby permitting interengagement and disengagement of the parts by a relative lateral movement, yas indicated in Fig. 6 and by the arrow I in Fig. 5, as Well as by a relatively axial movement, as in the form of the invention first described and as indicated by the arrow II in Fig. '5.

It will be seen that the device comprises only two parts which are of simple construction and; easily applied, namely, the sheet metal wire terminal member 16 or 16a andthe sleeve 15 which is applied to the terminal post 17 of the spark plug. If preferred, the terminal post of the' spark plug may itself be formed to constitute the plug terminal as indicated at 15B in Fig. 7 but a separate sleeve is preferred as it adapts the device to use with any spark plug of standard construction and also permits the use of other` attaching means if desired or if necessary in case of emergency. Having thus described my invention, I

An electrical connecter comprising a terminal having a relatively enlarged portion adjacent its ena and a relatively reduced portion in the rear of said enlarged portion, and a cooperatin terminal having a body adapted for atta ment to the end'of a wire, a reduced unitary neck portion extending in a longitudinal direction from said body portion, and a air of spring ams extending in opposite dlrections circumferntially from said neck portion, spaced from said body portion, and adapted to embrace the reduced portion of said first named terminal and to abut the enlarged portion thereof.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature. RALPH H. WHISLER. 

